NBA Playoffs: Let the Phil Jackson mind games begin

The Lakers and Thunder do not even tip off their playoff series until Sunday, but Phil Jackson has already started working the referees.

The Lakers have a game tonight against the folded tent of the Clippers, but nobody is asking about that. It’s all about the up-and-coming Thunder. And Jackson has gotten a jump on working the referees for this series already -- complaining about the calls Kevin Durant gets. From Syracuse honk Dave McMenamin at ESPNLosAngeles.com

“As far as the calls that he gets on the floor, I think a lot of the referees are treating him like a superstar; he gets to the line easy and often,” Jackson said, seemingly starting his gamesmanship with the officials a little early this spring. “He’s got the ability to create fouls. That’s a big part of scoring, to get to the foul line.”

Jackson should call in Kevin Garnett to help him with this campaign.

It’s pretty transparent what is going on here. Jackson is going to sick Ron Artest on Durant and tell him to be physical with the emerging superstar. If the referees let them play a little (as tends to happen in the playoffs) the advantage is to the Lakers. If the game is called tight, it will be very tough.

Still, Durant will get his because he is that good. He’s not Kobe or LeBron yet, but he is on the path. The real barometer of this series will be the Lakers ability to slow Russell Westbrook. The Lakers may want to be physical with him, as well.